The Power of the Human Immune System
Life during the COVID-19 pandemic has many concerned about their health — but our bodies deserve massive credit for the power of the human immune system. While there is undoubtedly a worldwide health scare right now, the human immune system has the capability of keeping us healthy if we take care of it properly. Here’s how you can naturally boost your immune system, so it’s works optimally:
How Does the Immune System Work?
The immune system is an essential part of the human body that protects us from harmful external factors that could make us fall ill. Our immune system actively works to recognize when there is a threat to our bodies — and works to get rid of it. Our immune system fights against dangerous germs, viruses, and diseases.
There are two parts of the immune system that are constantly at play: the innate immune system and the adaptive immune system. The innate immune system is known as the generalized immune system — it fights off germs that enter our body through the skin, eyes, nose, or mouth. The adaptive immune system constantly adapts to make antibodies to fight germs that the body has already come into contact with (the COVID-19 vaccine is meant to trigger the adaptive immune system).
Nutrition and Immunity
Nutrition plays a significant role in keeping your immune system ready to fight infection and disease. There’s not a cure-all superfood that will largely affect your immune system — but it’s critical to eat a well-balanced diet filled with vitamins and minerals. Foods that contain high levels of vitamin C like oranges and strawberries will help support your immune system. We should view the human immune system as a race car that has the capability to surpass all the obstacles and finish the race — but it requires proper maintenance and fuel. Our immune system is powerful enough to rid our bodies of sickness if we are proactive and take care of it!
Exercise and Immunity
Exercise has been helping boost the immune system for thousands of years. While there are many benefits to exercise, the increase of blood and lymph flow during a workout increases the circulation of immune cells. Not only does our body’s immune response heighten when we exercise, but exercise helps produce specialized immune cells to find viruses and get rid of them.
In reference to COVID-19, this study found that regular exercise improves immune competence and should be used as a tool to fight the virus. We recommend taking care of your immune system by even taking a brisk walk every day for approximately 45 minutes — this will generate more specialized immune cells that are ready to fight for you.
Humans have gotten through endless pandemics and epidemics throughout history solely because of the power of the immune system. Your body’s immune system wants to support you throughout this pandemic and beyond — and it will if you do everything in your power to take care of it.